The Met Office predicts possible Northern Lights sightings on New Year's Eve in Scotland, northern England, and Northern Ireland if cloud cover permits.
The Met Office has sparked excitement with the possibility of the Northern Lights being visible on New Year's Eve . The aurora borealis , as they are scientifically known, could grace the night skies in Scotland , northern England , and Northern Ireland if conditions are clear. A spokesperson noted that Tuesday night is expected to be cloudy for much of the UK, but there may be some clear spells in eastern Scotland , northeast England , and Northern Ireland between 6pm and 9pm.
The Met Office explained: 'A coronal mass ejection (CME) which left the Sun early on 29 December, is expected to arrive on New Year's Eve. But, although the Northern Lights may be in place, visibility could hamper any sightings. These will likely be transient though, with cloud and rain around for many, especially in Northern and Western Scotland.' Skywatchers in the UK and Ireland have already enjoyed impressive displays of the Northern Lights this year, thanks to the sun entering a phase of peak activity. This period of solar maximum is part of an 11-year cycle where the sun alternates between high and low activity. During these peaks, it ejects charged particles at about one million miles per hour, creating the potential for more frequent and vivid displays of the aurora borealis until mid-next year, reports the Manchester Evening News. The Earth's magnetic field captures some particles, which then collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms and molecules in the atmosphere. This energy is then released as light at various wavelengths, creating the stunning displays we see in the night sky. NASA explains that oxygen emits either a greenish-yellow or red light, while nitrogen generally gives off a blue light. Ultraviolet light is also emitted, but this can only be detected by special cameras on satellites
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